title: Titin transcripts in thymomas.
abstract: More than 90% of myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with a thymoma have antibodies against titin. We have identified titin mRNA transcripts in thymomas by RT-PCR and Southern blotting. The transcripts cover the main immunogenic region (MIR) and a central I-band epitope reactive with some MG patients' antibodies. The presence of the central I-band epitope was confirmed by immunohistochemistry as a titin antibody reactive with this part of titin, stained thymoma epithelial cells and a thymoma extract in Western blots. Our findings suggest that the initiation of paraneoplastic titin reactivity is correlated with the expression of titin sequences within the thymoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. Geir.O.Skeie@nevro.haukeland.no
authors.forename: G O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Skeie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Freiburg
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kolmerer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Labeit
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Aarli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Appiah-Boadu
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Gilhus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology; D064211:Connectin; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013945:Thymoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D064211:Connectin; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C577285:TTN protein, human; D011494:Protein Kinases